Coreopsis plant named ‘Limbo’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Coreopsis  named ‘Limbo’ characterized its inflorescences with ray florets that are solid creamy white in color, its bushy and relatively short plant habit, its long blooming habit, its sterility, and its vigorous growth habit.

Botanical classification: Coreopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Limbo’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent applicationfiled for a plant derived from similar parentage in the Inventor'sbreeding program that is entitled Coreopsis Plant Named ‘Caliente’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 21,869), Coreopsis Plant Named ‘Salsa’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 12/660,464), Coreopsis Plant Named ‘Cha Cha Cha’(U.S. Plant patent application Ser No. No. 12/660,480), Coreopsis PlantNamed ‘Mambo’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,454),Coreopsis Plant Named ‘Jive’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.12/660,491).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCoreopsis plant, botanically of hybrid origin and known as Coreopsis‘Limbo’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name,‘Limbo’. The new cultivar of Coreopsis is an herbaceous annual grown foruse in borders and containers.

The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program inHubbardston, Mass. The objective of the breeding program is to develophybrid cultivars of Coreopsis with unique and superior gardenattributes. The Inventor crossed Coreopsis ‘Sweet Dreams’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 12,720) and Coreopsis rosea with Coreopsis tinctoria andanother annual type species that are not commercialized and made sixgenerations of crosses to produce interspecific hybrids to utilize inhis breeding work. The new variety was developed with a goal ofproducing new cultivars of Coreopsis with unique flower colorations,short and bushy plant habits, and sterility to lengthen bloom periods.

The Inventor made a controlled cross in August 2006 in his test gardenin Hubbardston, Mass. between Coreopsis ‘Sweet Dreams’ as the femaleparent and an unnamed F6 generation seedling produced from crosses ofunnamed hybrid Coreopsis from his breeding program and Coreopsis roseaas the male parent. ‘Limbo’ was selected in August 2007 as a singleunique plant amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemcuttings in Kensington, Conn. in August of 2007 under the direction ofthe Inventor. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determinedto be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Limbo’ as unique from all Coreopsis cultivarsand species known to the Inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Limbo’ exhibits composite inflorescences with ray florets        that are solid creamy white in color.    -   2. ‘Limbo’ exhibits a bushy plant habit and is relatively short        in height; reaching 16 to 24 inches (40.6 to 61 cm) in height.    -   3. ‘Limbo’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit.    -   4. ‘Limbo’ exhibits a long blooming period; blooming from June        through August in Massachusetts.    -   5. ‘Limbo’ has been observed to be sterile.

The female parent, ‘Sweet Dreams’, differs from ‘Limbo’ in being tallerin plant height (reaching up to 30 inches in height) and in havinginflorescences with ray florets that are pink in color with a burgundyeye zone. The male parent differs from ‘Limbo’ in having a shorterblooming period (not sterile) and in having inflorescences with rayflorets that are solid gold in color. ‘Limbo’ can be most closelycompared to a cultivar from similar parentage, ‘Jive’. ‘Jive’ is similarto ‘Limbo’ in plant habit and blooming habit. ‘Jive’ differs from‘Limbo’ in being shorter in height (reaching 12 to 18 inches in height)and in having inflorescences with ray florets that are white in colorwith large eye zones that are dark burgundy-purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Coreopsis.

The photograph in FIG. 1 was taken in late summer of a five month-oldplant of ‘Limbo’ as grown outdoors in a mixed container planting in NewHope, Minn. and shows the bushy plant habit and floriferous bloominghabit of ‘Limbo’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 was taken in late summer of a six month-oldplant of ‘Limbo’ as grown outdoors in a two-gallon container in TheNetherlands and provides a close-up view of inflorescences of ‘Limbo’.

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Coreopsis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observedfor three growing seasons in a trial garden in Hubbardston, Mass. withthe detailed botanical data collected from five month-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown in two-gallon containers in New Hope, Minn. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms from June through August in central            Massachusetts.        -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous annual, well-branched to produce a            bushy habit.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches 16 to 24 inches (40.6 to 61 cm)            in height and 24 inches (61 cm in width) in 3 months from a            rooted cutting.        -   Cold hardiness.—Has not been tested as it is grown as an            annual.        -   Diseases resistance.—No particular resistance or            susceptibility has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine and well-branched.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Terminal stem cuttings.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Oval, solid.        -   Stem color.—137A.        -   Stem size.—Main stem averages 48 cm in length and 3.5 mm in            width with laterals variable in length with an average of 16            cm in length (excluding peduncles) and 2 mm in width.        -   Stem surface.—Very finely puberulent when young, ridged and            finely puberulent when mature.        -   Branching habit.—Numerous basal branches (an average of 12            per one year-old plant) with an average of 9 secondary            branches emerging opposite at a nodes, internode length an            average of 8 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf margins.—Ranges from entire, to tri-fid to 5 lobed            (deeply divided).        -   Leaf size.—Variable, entire leaves; up to 6.5 cm in length            and 4 mm in width, tri-fid leaves; up to 7 cm in length and            6 cm in width with center lobe an average of 6 mm in length            and 3 mm in width and secondary lobes an average of 2 cm in            length and 2 mm in width, 5-lobed; up 7 cm in width and 6 cm            in width when mature with center lobe an average of 7 mm in            length and 4 mm in width and secondary lobes an average of 4            cm in length and 3 mm in width.        -   Leaf shape.—Leaves and leaf lobes; very narrowly            oblanceolate to linear.        -   Leaf base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, not conspicuous, coloration same as            leaf on both surfaces.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf surface.—Dull and very finely puberulent on upper            surface and lower surface.        -   Leaf color.—Young and mature upper surface; N137A, young and            mature lower surface; N137B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Composite with ray florets surrounding            disk florets in the center, forming a radiant head,            inflorescences are borne on terminals of lateral branches on            thin peduncles.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About one week until            senescence of ray florets, bracts and disk florets are            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—An average of 4 per lateral            branch, an average of 100 per plant grown in a one-gallon            container at one time, new inflorescences are continuously            produced throughout the growing season.        -   Inflorescence size.—Up to 1 cm in depth and up to 4 cm in            diameter with disk portion up to 8 mm in diameter.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Average of 6 mm in depth and diameter,            shape is spherical, color is N25C with base of inner bracts            147A in color, apex becomes 8D in color just prior to            opening.        -   Peduncle.—Strong, thin, average of 7.5 cm in length and 1 mm            in diameter, a blend of 137A in color, surface is finely            puberulent with fine ridges.        -   Pedicels.—None.-   Involucral bracts:    -   -   Bract number.—8 outer bracts arranged in 2 rows, about 8            inner bracts arranged in 2 rows.        -   Bract arrangement.—Outer bracts are fused into cone-shaped            base about 4 mm in length and 3 mm width with free apex of            each held slightly upward, inner bracts surround receptacle            with a campanulate form with apical portion un-fused,            spreading, and held close to ray florets.        -   Bract size.—Outer bracts; free portion an average of 2 mm in            length and width, inner bracts; up to 9 mm in length and 3.5            mm in width with free portion an average of 5 mm in length            and 3 mm in width.        -   Bract color.—Outer bracts; 137A on both surfaces with thin            margins 145D, inner bracts; fused portion 147A, un-fused            portion N25C.        -   Bract texture.—Waxy on outer and inner bracts.        -   Bract apex.—Acute on outer and inner bracts.        -   Bract base.—Truncate on outer and inner bracts.        -   Bract margins.—Entire on outer and inner bracts.        -   Bract shape.—Outer bracts; free portion ovate, inner bracts;            free portion broadly lanceolate.-   Ray florets (sterile):    -   -   Number.—8.        -   Shape.—Obovate, appearance of three longitudinal sections            with center section slightly longer and apex of each free.        -   Size.—An average of 1.7 cm in length and 1.1 cm in width.        -   Apex.—3-lobed with center lobe slightly emarginate and side            lobes rounded.        -   Base.—Broadly cuneate.        -   Margins.—Entire on sides, lobed at apex.        -   Aspect.—Held slightly cupped upward when opening and            becoming nearly horizontal.        -   Texture.—Glabrous on upper and lower surfaces.        -   Color.—Upper surface when opening and mature; NN155A and            suffused near base with 4A, lower surface when opening and            mature; NN155A and suffused on lower one-half with 1B.-   Disk florets (perfect):    -   -   Shape.—Tubular, corolla is fused, flared at apex.        -   Size.—About 4 mm in length and 0.8 mm in width.        -   Color.—In masse; a blend of 166A and 25A when fully open and            becoming 200A when dried and ray florets drop, corolla; base            (tube) is 21B, flared portion is 25A and translucent.        -   Number.—Numerous, about 100.        -   Receptacle.—About 3 mm in diameter and 2 mm in depth, 147C            in color.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Presence.—Disk florets are perfect, ray florets are sterile.        -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil, 5 mm in length, style is very fine and            about 20B in color and translucent, bifid pilose stigma is            25A in color and about 1 cm in width when strongly recurved,            ovary is oblong in shape, 1.5 mm in length, 1 mm in width,            inferior, and 145D in color.        -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens, fused into tube surrounding style,            1.5 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width, about 200A in color,            pollen appears sparse in quantity and about 15A in color.        -   Fruit/seed.—Sterile.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named ‘Limbo’ asherein illustrated and described.